An Indian sailor was killed and 13 others rescued after an unidentified aerial object struck a cargo vessel off Oman’s coast on Monday, as attacks on commercial shipping in the Middle East continue.
The Indian-flagged MSV Al Jusufi was hit near Limah around evening while sailing from Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates to Porbandar in India’s Gujarat state, according to a report by the Indian maritime authorities.
All 14 crew members abandoned the vessel in a life raft following the strike. The Omani Coast Guard rescued the survivors, but one sailor died en route to a hospital at Khasab Port.
Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday identified the deceased as 26-year-old Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat. The Indian Embassy in Oman is coordinating with local authorities to assist the survivors and arrange their repatriation, along with the remains of the deceased sailor.
New Delhi condemned the attack and called for the immediate de-escalation of tensions through dialogue and diplomacy. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end,” the Foreign Ministry said, stressing the need to restore freedom of navigation and uninterrupted maritime commerce.
Indian crews have been caught in several recent attacks on commercial vessels in the region. The latest death brings the reported number of Indian nationals killed in the Middle East conflict since February to 23, including 15 seafarers, according to the Hindustan Times.
The International Maritime Organization recorded 125 confirmed maritime incidents and 24 seafarer deaths across the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East area as of November 2.
India has tightened maritime safety precautions, with the authorities in July advising shipping companies against deploying Indian seafarers on voyages through the Strait of Hormuz. It is also operating a control room and monitoring Indian sailors and commercial vessels in the region real time, in coordination with the Indian Navy and other maritime agencies.